JOHNSON CITY, N.Y., Jan. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovation, makers of PharmASSIST® pharmacy automation solutions, today announced that Dr. Phil L. Samples has joined the firm as vice president, government & professional services. Dr. Samples will lead these respective functions with the goal of increasing Innovation's presence in the government pharmacy market and broadening the firm's professional consultative services offering.

Dr. Samples has over 30 years of pharmacy management, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy benefits management in the federal government and retail pharmacy sectors. Prior to joining Innovation, Dr. Samples was a vice president for Truven Health Analytics, a leading provider of sophisticated healthcare analytics and extensive clinical referential services.

Dr. Samples retired in 2010, after 27 years of service, with the rank of colonel from the United States Air Force (USAF). He served as the tenth consultant for pharmacy services to the USAF Surgeon General and as a medical group commander (i.e., CEO) for hospitals within the United States and in the deployed environment. Dr. Samples was also lead coordinator for oversight and planning for Lean and Six Sigma initiatives and deployed to Southwest Asia (2009-10) as the expeditionary medical group commander.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Samples served as deputy command surgeon for the Air Force Materiel Command. In this role, he led all clinical oversight, strategic planning, and training of more than 6,300 medical personnel for the day-to-day delivery of healthcare in nine medical treatment facilities (MTFs) ranging from outpatient clinics to major teaching hospitals.

"Phil has a unique understanding of all aspects of pharmacy operations, especially as it pertains to the clinical impact of process optimization on patient satisfaction and improved outcomes. His exceptional experience across various disciplines and his inherent leadership skills will firmly resonate with both our team and our customers," said Mary Reno, CEO, Innovation. "We couldn't ask for a better, more qualified person to lead this key leadership role.

About InnovationInnovation, a leader in the world of automated prescription dispensing and workflow systems, offers the PharmASSIST family of products to address the prescription growth, quality assurance, pharmacy workflow, and cost control challenges of all types of pharmacies. Using PharmASSIST pharmacy automation solutions, pharmacies increase operational efficiency, enhance patient safety, and set new benchmarks for quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.innovat.com.